Digging attachment for tractors or the like



Dec. 19, 1944. T, K, ANDERSEN DTGGTNG ATTACHMENT RoR TTmcToRsV 0R THELIKE Filed Sept. 24, 1942 2 Sheets- Sheet l De@ 19,'1944 T. K. ANDERSEN2,365,164

DIGGING ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS OR THE LIKE Filed Sept. 24, 1942 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 19, 1944 DIGGING ATTACHMENT FOR LIKE OR THEThomas K. Andersen, West New Brighton, N. Y. l Application september 24.1942. serial Ne. 459,524

' (ci. 37,11s)

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a trench digging attachment for a, 'tractor orother self-propelled vehicle, and consists in the novel construction,combination and relationship of partsvdescribed and illustrated in theaccompanying specification and drawings and in the appended claims.

'I'he general object'of my invention is to lprovide auxiliary equipmentto be attached to the tractor or other vehicle for the purpose ofdiggingtrenches or similar excavating Work, which equipment isrelatively inexpensive in cost, reliable in operation and capable ofconvenient application to the severaldifferent makes of tractors orother vehicles now'on the market.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

More especially, my invention aims to provide a. digging attachment fora tractor or other vehicle which is so designed and constructed that thevehicle operator at all times and under al1 conditions of use maymaintain full control of the digging bucket or other digging implementwhen the same is being lowered into digging position, when filling, whenbeing lifted to dumping position, and when dumping.

In accomplishing my objects, I prefer to construct my digging attachmentas a boom to be pivoted at its forward end to the drawbar of the tractoror other vehicle and to carry adjacent its rear end a pivoted bucket orother appropriate digging implement. The bucket is swung to andmaintained in its several positions for digging,` filling, and dumpingas the tractor or other vehicle is advanced, stopped, and turned, bymeans of suitable mechanical or hydraulic connections within theconvenient lcontrol of the vehicle operator.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown two embodiments of myinvention applied toa particularly pointed out,

TRACTORS MAR 2 5 194? but showing hydraulic instead of mechanicaltachment shown in Figs.

tractor of conventional type. Inone embodiment the mechanism forcontrolling the bucket or otherv digging implement is mechanical. Inanother embodiment, it is hydraulic. Both embodiments afford positivecontrol of the digging A implement at all times and under all ofservice.

In such drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing my diggingattachment pivoted to the drawbar of a tractor of conventional type, theconnections for controlling the bucket being mechanical.

conditions Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plany itself willdepend upon the nature connections for controlling the bucket, or otherdigging implement.

Fig. f1 is a, plan view of the-digging attachment shown in Fig. 3,removed from the vehicle, and

Fig. 5 is a detail section through the doubleacting hydraulic ram usedwith the digging at- 3 and 4.

I have indicated at T in Figs. 1 and 3 a tractor of conventional design.

In Fig. 1, the tractor is shown as provided with a drawbar connection 9,a' drawbar I0, drawbar guides II, and a bracket support I2 for thedrawbar. e

Pivoted at its forward end at I3 to the drawbar connection 9 is a boomI4. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the boom is tubular. Itsforward end is flared as at I5, cut-out vertically as at I6, andprovided with spaced ears I1 to straddle the drawbar connection 9 andreceive the pivot shaft I3. Its rear end is reversely flared as at I8.and forked as at I9 to provide spaced ears 20 in which the pivots 2I ofa digging implement, here shown as a bucket 22, are received.

The bucket 22 is in the general form of an open-front, closed back scoophaving a substantially vertica1 back wall 23 merging into asubstantially horizontal bottom wall 24, and spaced side walls 25connecting said back and bottom walls. The forward edge of the bottomwall is preferably provided with suitable digging teeth 26.

Extending rearwardly and upwardly from the back wall 23 of the bucket,centrally thereof, is a bracket 21 within which is fastened a cablehook-up pin 28 to which is made fast'the rear end of a lifting cable 29for controlling the raising and lowering of the boom and bucket. Theforward edges 30 of the side walls 25 of the bucket function as cuttingedges and accordingly may be suitably reinforced, as required.

Obviously, the configuration of the bucket of the Work which the bucketis to do. For trench digging, the design of bucket shown has been foundextremely satisfactory in respect to its functions of digging, fillingand emptying.

The forward end of cable 29 is made fast to any-suitable winch,hydraulic lift, or equivalent mechanism (not shown). Where a. winch isemployed. it is preferably driven from the tractor vmotor by `means ofa. conventional power takeoff (not shown) under the control of thetractor operator through a suitable clutch and clutchlever (not shown).By this construction Vthe boom may be lowered to move the bucket todigging position and raised to move the filled bucket to dumpingposition.

The angularity of the bucket when in digging position and the fillingand dumping of the bucket is controlled by the mechanism now to bedescribed.

Pivoted at 3| to the side walls of the bucket at appropriate pointsalong their length is a pair of links 32 which extend forwardly andupwardly and at their forward ends converge towards each other and liealongside the boom I4. Bolted or otherwise fastened as at 33 to theforward ends of said links is a trolley 34 in the form of a pair ofwheels pressed on each end of a suitably bushed shaft 35 and enclosedwithin the hollow boom so as to be protected thereby.

Also enclosed within said boom is a sprocket chain 36, the ends ofwhichare made li'ast as at 31 to a trolley 34. Chain 36 is trained overa pair of sprockets 38 and 39 mounted on suitably hushed sprocket shafts40 and 4I Journaled transversely of the boom adjacent its ends.

Sprocket 38 is an idler and sprocket 39 is a driving sprocket. Idlersprocket shaft 40 is carried in'any suitable yoke 40' pivoted as at 40aon the boom, and any suitable tension means, indicated generally at 42,may be providedadjacent sprocket 40 for regulating the tension of thesprocket chain.

Sprocket shaft 4i is a combination sprocket and brake drum shaft. It andthe associated brake mechanism is mounted within the cut-out i6 at theenlarged forward end I5 of the boom.

Such brake mechanism includes a brake drum 43, brake lining 44, brakeband 45, brake lever 46, brake anchor 41, brake adiusting nut 48 andbrake cable 49 connected at one end to brake lever 46 and at its otherend to hand lever 50 mounted on the tractor within convenient reach ofthe operator. By means of this construction, the tractor operator maypositively control the angular position of the bucket at all times.

In operating this embodiment of my invention, and assuming that thebucket has just been dumped and they parts left in such dumpingposition, that is, with the boom raised to an angle of substantially 45,the bucket hanging subots 2| upwardly into substantially closed ornonspilling position.

The brake is then applied again to hold the y bucket in thisnon-spilling position, whereafter stantially vertically downwardly, andthe brake oil, the operator rst moves the tractor into position to placethe bucket over the ground in which the trench is to be dug. Then bymeans of cable 29 the bucketis lowered into digging position until thebucket teeth strike the bottom of the trench, whereupon the tractor isbacked up slightly sothat the bucket can turn counterclockwise on itspivots to point its teeth forwardly at the correctdigging angle. Brakelever 50 is next manipulated to apply the brake, thereby locking thebucket rigid with the boom, insofar as its angularity is concerned. Withthe brake still applied, the operator drives the tractor ahead until thebucket has cut itself a full load of dirt and is ready to be lifted andemptied.

In order to prevent the load from accidentally dumping from the bucketwhen it is being raised to dumping position, the` brake is now releasedand the tractor backed up slightly, whereupon the ground friction of thefilled bucket causes the trolley 34 to roll forwardly and the bucket tothereby be tilted counterclockwise about its pivimplement will take theform of a digging bucket,

the operator by means of cable 29 lifts the bucket from the ground, thenswings the` tractor laterally to one side to carry the boom and bucketto the opposite side of the tractor in position to be dumped, and dumpsthe bucket by again releasing the brake to permit the bucket to tiltabout its pivots 2l downwardly into dumping position.

When the bucket has been dumped, the operator swings the tractor inreverse direction to bring the bucket back to digging position inreadiness to dig another load when the tractor is again moved ahead.

In the embodiment of my invention depicted in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, theconstruction and operation of the implement is generally the same asgiven for the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, except that the control ofthe bucket is hydraulic rather than mechanical.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the boom is indicated generally at 5l,the drawbar pivot at 52. and the bucket at 53 and bucket pivots at 53'.

The hydraulic mechanism for controlling the angularity of the bucketincludes a double-acting hydraulic ram 54 carried by the boom 5I. Asdetailed in Fig. 5 such ram comprises a cylinder 58 and piston 51.Surmounting the cylinder and extending longitudinally thereof is a pipe58 containing the pressure duid. The ends of this pipe open into theends of the cylinder, and the delivery of pressure fiuid'to one end orthe other of the cylinder is controlled by a suitable valve (not shown)mounted in valve chamber 59 and operated through lever 59 and cable 80from hand lever 8| mounted on the tractor within convenient reach of thedriver.

Cylinder 5B is longitudinally slotted as at 52 for a substantialdistance to receive a pin 63 made solid with piston 51 and connectingthe forward extremities of a pair of bucket links 64, the rear ends ofwhich are pivoted as at to the sides of the bucket. By this constructionthe operator is able at all times to accurately control the anguiarityofthe bucket in digging, lling and emptying. L

As shown in this embodiment of my invention, the bucket is also adaptedto be raised and lowered by hydraulic means. For this purpose, bracket65' extending from the upper rear edge of the bucket is connected to therear end of a rod 55. The forward end of said rod receives a pin B1 onlink 08. Pin 61 extends through the upper end of a pivoted support B9.The other end of link 65 is pinned at 10 to the upper end of a pivotedsupport 1I mounted on the tractor.

Fast to support 1I is one end of the piston 13 of a single actinghydraulic ram, the cylinder of which is indicated at 14. The supply offluid through pipe 15 to said cylinder is regulated by means of a handlever 12 pivoted to the tractor within convenient reach of the operatorand con.. trolling a valve (not shown) associated with said pipe. Bythis construction, the operator is likewise able at all times toaccurately control the raising and lowering of the bucket.

Although I have shown my digging attachment applied to a tractor,vehicles other than tractors. The design of the bucket or other diggingimplement will likewise depend upon the nature of the work to beperformed. Where trenches are to be dug. such it obviously may be usedwith by Letters Patent is:

y 3 the tractor so that the boom may be swung vertically relative to thetractor to carry the bucket through an arc of substantial length from adigging position at or below ground level to a l. A digging attachmentfor a self-,propelled vehicle, comprising a boom to be pivoted at itsforward end t'o therear of the vehicle, a digging v implement pivoted tosaid boom adjacent the rear end thereof to swing therebeneath,operatorcontrolled means for raising and lowering said .boom and diggingimplement, linkage pivoted at its rear end to said digging implement,means for slidably supporting the forward end of said linkage formovement along said boom, said lastnamed means comprising a pair ofspaced sprockets mounted on said boom, a chain trained over saidsprockets, and a trolley at thevforward end of said linkage disposedbetween said sprockets and to which the ends of said chain are fastened,and a hand brake in control of one of said sprockets for selectivelyholding the sliding end of said linkage at any desired position alongits path of movement with respect to said boom.

2. The digging attachment of claim 1, the boom including at its endsoutwardly flared portionseach presenting a pair of spaced alined ears,pivot means through one pair of ears for connecting the rear end of saidboom to said digging implement, a draw bar connection, and pivot meansthrough the other pair of ears for connecting theforward end of saidboom to said draw bar connection.

dumping` position at a considerable distance .above the ground, saidmeans arranged to prevent lateral movement of the boom relative to thetractor, a connection from the tractor to the boom and bucket assemblyfor raising the filled bucket to dumping position and for lowering theempty bucket to the ground so that it may be tilted into diggingposition when the tractor is moved slightly to the rear, and means forlocking the bucket in digging position so that it will dig when thetractor is moved forwardly,

for unlocking the bucket when iilled to permit it to tilt to its closedposition when the tractor is moved slightly to the rear, for `re-lockingthe filled and closed bucket while 'the boom is being raised and swunglaterally to carry the bucket to its dumping position, and for unlockingthe filled and closed bucket when it reaches its dumping position sothat it may dump, said last-named means including a link having apivotal connection at its rear end with the bucket and asliding'connec'tion at its forward end with the boom, and means forselectively holding the sliding connection at any desired positionrelative to the boom.

4. The digging attachment of claim 3, wherein the rear end of theconnection from the tractor is attached to the bucket at a point spacedfrom the pivot point of the bucket and boom so that the weight of theboom when the bucket is unlocked may apply leverage to revolve thebucket.

5. The digging attachment of claim 3, wherein the slidingconnectionandthe holdingmeans 3. A digging attachment to operate behind a 40tractor, comprising a tiltable bucket closed at its back and having adigging edge at its front and rotatable angularly through successiveYdigging, closing and dumping positions, a boom disposed in the fore andaft line of the tractor, pivot means connecting the back of the bucketto the rear end of said boom so that the bucket\ is disposed beneath-the boom, means connecting the front end of the boom to the rear end oftherefor include a piston, a cylinder for said piston, a pipe connectingthe ends of said cylinder, said cylinder having a longitudinal slot andsaid piston having a pin solid therewith and with the forward end ofsaid link and operating in said slot, and means for controlling themovement of fluid within said pipe.

6. The digging. attachment of claim 3, and hydraulic means for operatingthe connection from the tractor to the boom and bucket assembly.

THOMAS K. ANnERsEN.

